54 New Christ-Followers Baptized in West Liberty!

In a small rural church in West Liberty, OH God has been mightily at work. In the last two Sundays,

54 persons have come to be baptized! To read the full story and see a powerful video of this revival, click HERE. Then pray with our sister church as she disciples these new believers!

Two years ago, West Liberty was a dying, declining church. With only a handful of people, no children or youth, and no pastor, they began to pray for a miracle. During that season, Nate Wilcoxon, a lay preacher and key leader in the nearby sister church of Bellefontaine began to feel in his spirit a tug to minister with the West Liberty church. Bro. Nate, as he likes to be called, began to preach occasionally and then regularly there and the church began to grow. Wilcoxon and his family were formally installed as pastor last November. The church is now averaging over 100 people and growing weekly with new believers. With eight people identified as needing and desiring baptism, they decided to have a baptism service on March 4, 2018. When Bro. Nate and his leaders planned a baptismal service for the first Sunday in March they realized that the old baptistery was in disrepair. They had to do extensive repair before it could be used. Then Sunday came! The following are testimonies from Bro. Nate and former pastor Ron Irick of the events that happened on Sunday, March 4.

Last Sunday, we thought we were baptizing 4, but ended up baptizing 34. At least 30 out of 34 people were baptized knowing they had no clothes to wear afterwards. The Holy Spirit came and He started touching people. Kids were boldly coming to the Throne of Grace and giving Testimony of why they wanted baptized. People would kneel down and thru repentance and confession, one by one they would make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior. With naked feet they knelt. FOR WHERE YOU STAND IS HOLY GROUND. So the shoes came off.
Young ones spoke with maturity about how they wanted to make things right and that they loved Jesus Christ! I was in the baptismal tank for an hour in half. It really was a blessing from above. I give my King all the Glory and Honor. I am still overwhelmed with joy! I am so proud of each person that gave their Life to Christ and got baptized. POWERFUL!!

This Congregation will keep pressing into His Image and seeking Him with all our heart soul, strength, and mind. People are getting delivered from the bondage of Sin and despair! Instead of being the Victim they are becoming The Victor! The Gospel, The Good News is being proclaimed and ears are not falling deaf. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Let us be who Jesus wants us to be. He says that we are The Light of The World! I say that The WLCOG (West Liberty Church of God) is going to be A Light, A Beacon of Hope for those that are lost and need found! From drug addiction, to drunkenness, porn, sin sick areas, all can and are being saved! Our Jesus is Bigger, stronger, and He alone can make us Complete. He can deliver us from the shackles of sin. God has a plan for this little church that keeps on growing, numerically and spiritually. May we all just let God move. Let The Holy Spirit just move and get out of the way! . . . . When The Holy Spirit comes back in the church we will see revival. But it starts with each one of us individually!! It’s time for change, and that’s what I intend to do with WLCOG! Bring nothing but the Good News and The Holy Ghost of Fire that John the Baptist was speaking of! He will baptize us with The Holy Spirit and with fire!! CATCH ON FIRE!

-Bro. Nate Wilcoxon

The POWER of GOD came down on the First Church of God, in West Liberty, Ohio this morning. For several weeks we had been planning a baptism. Candidates had been counselled, the baptistry was getting much needed renovations, which involved some minor remodeling in the sanctuary. It was going to be a tight schedule to get the new coating on the tank dried in time for Sunday morning.

Then the call came for a funeral. This would be a very large funeral. The cure time for the baptistry coating would not allow for water to be filled until after the funeral. We knew full well it normally takes several days to get the water temperature up to an acceptable level.

The funeral was huge. The dinner wasn’t over until about 6:00pm.

With the baptistry half full, workers scrambled to run hot water through garden hoses to fill the tank. The pastor, his wife, their children, and many willing workers labored into the second night of hurried preparation.

Sunday morning started with breakfast at 9:00am. Discussion before Sunday School revealed that out of eight candidates, one was very sick, two would be no-shows, one was unconfirmed, but four were on track. When church started at 10:30am, the plan was to baptize four people.

Pastor Nate Wilcoxon preached a powerful message, leading to the ordinance of baptism. As time approached, I counted five persons lining up with towels. After the first candidate spoke a witness to the congregation, I counted six. I just assumed the “no-shows” had arrived. As several were baptized, Pastor Nate repeatedly called for anyone to join in. A couple teenagers and an adult moved forward. Then two family members of one who had just been baptized got in line. Then a man and his son. Then another teenager. Then an entire family rose from their pew and marched forward. Next came two young girls, one from either side of the room. Then a couple, then the brother of a previous participant made his way forward. People were shedding sweaters and jackets. Shoes were being pulled off. Men were emptying their pockets. People were praying, the crowd was singing and clapping.

That’s when I lost count. Then attendants ran out of towels. But, the people kept coming. More young people, an older person, a couple sisters. A recovering heroin addict, an abused wife and two daughters, and on and on. The worship team kept singing and playing and people kept coming.

The service finally ended after 1:30pm. There were lots of hugs and wet eyes as people with wet feet and wet clothes were welcomed into the Church. A new Church was born Sunday, March 4th in West Liberty, Ohio.